How to cook green lentils: we delight loved ones with an unusual dish. Lentil Ragout

This crop comes from legumes. Its appearance resembles colored peas of various sizes. The grains can be the size of rice or larger than peas. The taste of the product corresponds to its origin, it is a pronounced bean with a slight sweetness. Lentils happen different types: red, brown, green...

Now we will talk about how to cook green lentils. This variety of legumes takes time to cook, it is a rather capricious product, but you should not immediately panic, let's start with the simplest.

So how long should this product be cooked? And what can be prepared from it?

Rules for cooking green lentils

To cook lentils deliciously, you need to heed the following tips:

• The grains must be thoroughly washed and sorted out; pebbles, sand, dry twigs may come across in them;
• Before cooking, it must be filled with water and allowed to stand for a couple of hours. The grains will take in the necessary water during this time;
• Cook the product for about forty minutes on low heat, constantly trying. It's a very delicate culture, it's easy enough to miss the moment of cooking, especially for people who are encountering it for the first time. AT this moment lentils taste like dry peas, and five minutes later you can find porridge in the pan;
• Do not salt! By the way, this applies not only to lentils, but also to other legumes. If you ignore this rule and salt a raw dish, it will instantly harden and burst.

For those who do not know what exactly to cook with these green grains, below are simple recipes cooking delicious meals.

Green lentil soup with croutons

For this dish you will need the following products:

• lentils 0.5 cups;
• onion 1 pc;
• carrot 1pc;
• spices and salt to taste;
• olive oil;
• two slices of white bread;
• low fat cream.

It is worth noting that this recipe will appeal to those housewives who cannot catch the moment of cooking grains. Even if they are a little overcooked, nothing bad will happen, because they still need to be ground with a blender.

How much to cook green lentils has already been said above. First, it must be soaked in water for a couple of hours so that it is softer and cooks faster, and put on fire.

1. Onions and carrots should be peeled and finely chopped. Then the vegetables must be fried in olive oil until golden brown.
2. For crackers, bread should be cut into cubes, put on a baking sheet and sent to the oven for 10 minutes. As soon as the croutons are fried, they must be pulled out and sprinkled with olive oil.
3. Cooked lentils are mixed with half of fragrant vegetables, after which everything is salted, seasoned with spices of your choice, poured with water in which legumes were boiled.
4. The resulting mass is whipped with a blender until a creamy structure is formed. The remaining onions and carrots are also placed here.

It is better to serve puree soup in small bowls with the addition of low-fat cream and crackers.

The unique aroma of unusual peas and croutons, the tenderness of the structure of the soup will appeal to the whole family. Such a dish will perfectly diversify the dining table and delight guests.

Smoky lentil recipe

Many people know that the combination of legumes with smoked meats is especially tasty. This recipe is intended for those housewives who want to please their loved ones with just such a dish, and also know how to cook green lentils deliciously.

For this dish you will need:

• 1 glass of lentils;
• 300 grams of smoked meat to choose from;
• bulb;
• a few cloves of garlic;
• sunflower oil for frying;
• salt, a mixture of peppers if desired;
• greens, preferably dill.

Here it is necessary to carefully monitor the preparation of green culture. It's not as easy as making cereal. Do not be shy to try it during cooking, so as not to spoil the product.

Overcooked grains do not look very nice, while undercooked product looks more like dried peas:

• Smoked meat should be chopped into strips, onions - thin half rings, garlic - slices;
• First you need to fry the smoked meats in sunflower oil, then throw the onions. As soon as it becomes transparent, add garlic to the pan, and after five minutes, boiled beans without water;
• Simmer all together for another three minutes on minimum heat, pre-salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh herbs when serving.

The aroma will gather in the kitchen not only the whole family, but also all the neighbors from the street. Believe me, legumes with smoked meat and garlic will become a frequent guest on the table. The recipe is apparently very simple, and the dish is very tasty and satisfying.

Lean lentils with mushrooms

Protein is essential for the human body. This is construction material for our cells. Most of this substance is found in meat. But what to do if fasting is now or vegetarianism has become the basis of life?

It turns out that legumes contain protein in sufficient quantities, which is why dishes from them perfectly, and most importantly, for a long time, satisfy the feeling of hunger.

To prepare one of them, you need to prepare the following set of products:

• 1 glass of lentils;
• 300 grams of mushrooms;
• bulb;
• carrot;
• clove of garlic;
• greenery;
• 0.5 cups of cream;
• oil for frying;
• salt.

After such a dish with mushrooms, you can understand that meat is not so important when there are so many delicious things around and fasting can be done with pleasure:

1. Lentils are cooked until tender.
2. Mushrooms fry with onions and carrots in oil.
3. As soon as the vegetables are fried, you need to add lentils to them.
4. Salt, put garlic, finely chopped greens and pour everything with cream.
5. It is necessary to extinguish everything on a small fire, otherwise the cream will curdle. After 5 minutes, the dish is ready.

A cultivated product of the legume family, it has been used in cooking since ancient times. For Christians, lentils are the main food during Lent. Due to their low calorie content, lentils are considered dietary product.

It boils quickly, does not require pre-soaking. Lentil dishes are hearty and preferred by adherents proper nutrition and vegetarians. Soups are cooked from it, side dishes are prepared, added to pastries.

Lentil soup is especially popular. Several varieties are on sale - brown, red, green, French lentils.

Cooking features

The red variety of lentils cooks faster and is more commonly used in soups. French - perfectly keeps its shape during heat treatment, tasty, fragrant in any form. Ideal for salads and appetizers.

The brown variety is versatile, suitable for bold culinary experiments. Pairs well with seafood. Green is champion fast food, add to soups a few minutes before the rest of the ingredients are ready.

You can check the readiness of the dish by eye, if the mass has doubled, it's time to remove from heat. You need to cook it over low heat, with the exception of puree soup. Salt before removing from heat.

If you add salt to initial stage she will be tough. The proportions of water and lentils are 2:1. The legume loves when olive oil, exotic spices, garlic and herbs are added to it. Below we will tell you how to cook lentil dishes simply and tasty. So here are the recipes.

Lentil soup with tomatoes

The finished soup will acquire a beautiful red color and a thick texture. Before serving, squeeze a little garlic into a bowl with soup, add fresh basil. Hearty soup, due to its composition and the addition of exquisite spices, will delight lovers wholesome food as well as gourmets.

Lentil cutlets with pumpkin

Required Ingredients:

• boiled lentils - 400 gr;
• pumpkin - 180 gr;
• clove of garlic;
• egg;
• spices, salt;
• breadcrumbs;
• frying oil.

Cooking time: 1 hour.

Calorie content: 244 kcal per 100 grams.

1. Pre-boiled lentils in salted water, mash with a fork or chop in a blender.
2. Grate the peeled pumpkin. Add it to the beans. drive in there egg. Squeeze the garlic through a press. Add spices, salt if necessary.
3. Mix the cutlet mass well. Let her brew a little so that all the products "make friends". Form small patties with wetted hands.
4. Dip in breadcrumbs, fry over high heat. Once one side is browned, turn the patties over. Reduce heat, cover with a lid. This is done in order to steam inside the pumpkin.

Serve ready cutlets with sour cream or any other sauce. It can act as an independent dish, as well as served with a side dish. delicious meatballs do not lie on the dining table, they will be eaten very quickly.

Diet salad with French lentils

Required Ingredients:

• French lentils - 180 gr;
• basil greens;
• cherry tomatoes - 7 pcs;
• linseed oil - 15 ml;
• quail eggs- 3 pcs;
• salt.

Cooking time: 15 minutes (not including time for cooking lentils).

Calorie content: 119 kcal per 100 grams.

1. To quickly prepare dietary and healthy salad, you need to boil the lentils in advance. She must cool down.
2. For the salad, you will need quail eggs, in their absence, you can take chicken. Cut the eggs lengthwise into 4 pieces.
3. Rinse cherry tomatoes, dry with a napkin, cut in half. Chop the basil greens.
4. Pour the main ingredient into a deep bowl, add tomatoes, basil. Salt, pour oil. Mix everything well. Lay the eggs on top. Decorate with green sprigs.

It is very convenient for this recipe to have boiled lentils in the refrigerator. The salad will also look colorful if you take a different variety of legumes. Satisfying and at the same time low calorie salad, will become a favorite on the dining table, even for those who do not adhere to diets.

Cream soup with croutons

Required Ingredients:

• lentils - 300 gr;
• bulb;
• carrots - 1 pc;
• potatoes - 2-3 pieces;
• oil for frying;
• baguette - 100 gr;
• wig, salt.

Cooking time: approximately 60 minutes.

Calorie content: 202 kcal per 100 grams.

1. Pour lentils with water like soup, put on fire, boil for 10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, while the soup is cooking, you need to prepare the vegetables. Peel carrots, onions, potatoes. Chop onions and carrots, fry until golden onions.
3. Baguette cut into cubes, lightly salt, mix with paprika. Place future crackers in the oven to dry them for 3-5 minutes.
4. When the cereal is boiled, add chopped potatoes to the soup. Bring it to half-cooked over medium heat.
5. Salt. Send onion-carrot roast to the pan. Let the soup boil, remove from heat.
6. Grind to a puree figurative state with a blender. Pour the puree soup into bowls, sprinkle with croutons and paprika on top.

The dish turns out to be very satisfying, healthy and dietary. In addition to crackers, you can add greens with sour cream.

Lentils with zucchini

Required Ingredients:

• red lentils - 250 gr;
• zucchini - 800 gr;
• cream - 3 tbsp. l;
• oil for frying;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• leeks 100 gr;
• spices, salt.

Cooking time: 45-50 minutes.

Calorie content: 95 kcal per 100 grams.

1. Lentils should be boiled until half cooked. Leave some of the water after cooking as a broth.
2. Cut the leek into half rings, zucchini into cubes.
3. Place the zucchini in a hot skillet with high sides. Stirring occasionally, fry them until they are golden brown. Add leeks, fry until soft.
4. Next, add the lentils to the pan. Pour in the broth to cover the contents of the dish. Let the dish boil, reduce the heat.
5. Season the dish with low-fat cream, salt, spices.
6. Simmer covered until done. A couple of minutes before the end of cooking, squeeze the garlic into the pan.

You can serve it hot or when the dish has cooled down. Top the plate with sour cream or cream. It goes well with basil greens.

Beans with chicken and thyme

Required Ingredients:

• chicken fillet - 500 gr;
• lentils - 450 gr;
• bulb;
• bell pepper - 1 pc;
• oil for frying;
• thyme, pepper, salt.

Cooking time: approximately 45 minutes.

Calorie content: 189 kcal per 100 grams.

1. First of all, you need to marinate the chicken and boil the lentils. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Grind bell pepper with a blender. Add chopped pepper, salt, thyme to the chicken. Mix everything well.
2. Boil the lentils, depending on its variety, until tender. At the end, do not forget to salt to taste.
3. Place the marinated chicken on the hot skillet. Fry it, stirring constantly. During frying, add chopped onion. Bring the ingredients to readiness. If there is any doubt whether the onion will be fried with chicken, it can be cooked separately.
4. Combine the main ingredient and chicken together, season lightly with thyme. Can be served at the table.

Thanks to bell pepper chicken oberet beautiful colour and pleasant taste. Thyme adds a spicy flavor to the dish. The aroma of this dish will drive you crazy, it will become popular on your table.

Appetizer with chicken liver

Required Ingredients:

• red lentils -1 glass;
• chicken liver - 300 gr;
• tartlets - 8-10 pcs;
• bulb;
• oregano, salt;
• oil for frying;
• pitted olives 2 tbsp. .l;
• parsley.

Cooking time: approximately 50 minutes.

Calorie content: 279 kcal per 100 grams.

1. Rinse the chicken liver, peel off the films, dry it on a napkin and fry in a hot frying pan with onions until tender. If necessary, fry under the lid. Add salt when finished.
2. Boil the main ingredient until cooked. Combine it with the liver, season with pepper and oregano.
3. Grind all the ingredients with a blender, you should get a mass, like a pate.
4. Before filling the tartlets with pâté, taste it for salt. Spoon out the filling in the form of a slide. Top with olives and herbs.

The snack is perfect for holiday table. Guess what is useful in tartlets legume, impossible. Taste dominates. chicken liver, however, there was more benefit in the snack. Have fun experimenting!

Lentils are a common staple in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. In Russia, it was also extremely popular, even bread was baked from it. But with the advent of potatoes, this cereal was undeservedly forgotten, and you can cook a lot of tasty and healthy dishes from it.

Lentils are a crop of the legume family, rich in protein and almost no fat. In terms of nutritional value, it is not inferior to meat. Due to the fact that there is a lot of iron in lentils, during heat treatment, it does not lose useful properties. This cereal is considered one of the best products for people who follow a healthy diet.

How to choose the right lentil?

It is difficult to overestimate the merits of this cereal, but in order to fully enjoy its wonderful taste, you must first do right choice. There are many varieties of lentils, and the method of preparation largely depends on the type of cereal.

The shape and size of lentils can vary greatly, but whole grains are always best.

1. French lentils have green color. This is an unripe cereal, it keeps its shape perfectly and cooks longer than other types. Perfect for salads and meat dishes.
2. Yellow lentils are peeled green lentils. It goes well with vegetables and is suitable for soups and purees.
3. Lentil Pardina is a ripened grain. It cooks very quickly and has a light nutty flavor, suitable for casseroles, soups, stews and appetizers.
4. Egyptian lentils are red in color and have no shell. Cooked quickly, used for purees, soups and vegetable stews.
5. Black lentil or beluga - similar to black caviar, used in vegetable dishes, soups and salads.

It is better not to soak the lentils, but simply sort through, separating the bad beans and pebbles, and then rinse a couple of times under running water. For salads, it needs to be cooked the least, for soups and mashed potatoes longer. It is laid in already boiling water, observing a ratio of 1: 2 (1 tbsp of cereal to 2 tbsp of water). As soon as the cereal is in the water, the fire must be immediately extinguished to a minimum and boiled for 15-45 minutes, depending on the dish you want to cook and the variety of lentils. Salt should be 5-6 minutes before readiness. After cooking, the beans acquire a delicate nutty flavor. You can cook not only in water, but use meat and mushroom broth or add a small amount of wine to the water, and after cooking - a tablespoon of lemon juice.

If you cook lentils as a side dish, add sage, rosemary, celery, Bay leaf, cloves, etc. Onions, garlic and tomatoes complement the taste wonderfully. You can also use various hot sauces: tomato, vinegar, mustard. It goes well with an olive oil-based sauce with the addition of lemon juice, mint and basil.

How to make lentil soup?

A very simple, rich and tasty soup that is prepared in just 15 minutes. For people who spend the whole day at work, and in the evening there is absolutely no energy left for cooking - this is an ideal option! The main thing is to prepare chicken or any other low-fat broth in advance.

Compound:

1. Broth - 2–2.5 liters
2. Red lentils - 250 g
3. Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
4. Onion - 1 pc.
5. Salt, pepper, spices (coriander, turmeric and Italian herbs) - to taste
6. Olive or other vegetable oil- 1-2 tbsp.
7. Carrots - 2 pcs.

Cooking:

• Put the chicken broth on the stove, bring to a boil and pour the lentils into it.
• Peel the onion and carrot, pour boiling water over the tomato and remove the peel. Cut the onion and tomato into cubes, and grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Heat a frying pan with a little vegetable oil and fry. Add diced tomatoes and sauté a little.
• Check the lentils for readiness, usually 5-7 minutes after boiling, put the roast, salt, pepper and add spices. Boil for 2-3 more minutes.
• Let the soup brew a little, you can squeeze a few cloves of garlic. Serve with chopped herbs.

A wonderful soup with a smoked aroma and rich taste.

Compound:

1. Smoked ribs and shank - 500 g
2. Turnip - 2 pcs.
3. Carrots - 2 pcs.
4. Salt, spices, ground red Water - 3 l
5. Lentils - 300 g
6. Onion - 2 pcs.
7. pepper, herbs - to taste

Cooking:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Rinse the lentils and send to boil. Put the ribs in there.
• Peel and cut the turnip into cubes and add to the lentils.
• Peel onions, carrots and fry in oil until golden brown, put in soup.
• Cut the shank into large pieces and put in the soup when the lentils and turnips are almost ready. Drain, pepper and add spices.
• After 5 minutes, turn off the heat and let the soup brew.

What can be cooked from lentils?

Compound:

1. Lentils (preferably green) - 200 g
2. Parsley and basil - 1 bunch
3. Sulguni cheese - 200 g
4. Tomatoes - 3 pcs. (or 10 cherry tomatoes)
5. Olive oil - 2-3 tbsp.
6. Lemon juice - to taste
7. Salt - to taste

Cooking:

• Boil lentils with bay leaf, salt a little. Rinse and let cool. Place in a salad bowl.
• Cut tomatoes and cheese into cubes, if cherry - cut in half.
• Finely chop the greens. Dress the salad with olive oil and lemon juice, salt to taste.

Compound:

1. Red onion - 1 pc.
2. Sweet pepper - 1/2 pc.
3. Celery - 1 stalk
4. Olive oil - 2 tbsp.
5. Balsamic vinegar - 1 tbsp.
6. Eggs - 2-3 pcs. (depending on number of servings)
7. Champignons - 5-6 pcs.
8. Young spinach - 200 g
9. French lentils - 200 g
10. Garlic - 2-3 cloves
11. Salt, pepper, Provence herbs - to taste

Cooking:

• Boil lentils until tender.
• Peel the onion and cut into half rings, finely chop the garlic and celery.
• Pour 1 tbsp into a deep frying pan. olive oil and fry the onion, garlic and celery.
• Peel the carrots, cut into cubes and send to the vegetables.
• Remove the seeds from the sweet pepper, cut into cubes, and mushrooms into slices and also put them in the fry.
• Cover and simmer until vegetables are fully cooked.
• Add chopped spinach and lentils to the pan, mix, pour in balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and season with spices.
• Fry the eggs in another pan.
• Serve in portions, laying a slide on each plate, and a fried egg on top.

How to cook lentils in a slow cooker?

Compound:

1. Olive oil - 1 tbsp.
2. Green onions - 4 feathers
3. Tomatoes - 3 pcs.
4. Garlic - 2 cloves
5. Grated ginger - 50 g
6. Vegetable broth or water - 500 ml.
7. Onion - 2 pcs.
8. Lentils - 500 g
9. Sweet pepper - 1 pc.
10. Carrots - 2 pcs.
11. Bay leaf - 1 pc.
12. Curry powder - 1 tbsp

Cooking:

• Onions, carrots, peppers, tomatoes cut into cubes. Pour olive oil into the multicooker, add vegetables and select the Toasting or Uncovered mode and fry the vegetables for 10-12 minutes.
• Pour lentils in a slow cooker, pour in hot broth, put bay leaf, garlic, salt, pepper, add curry, ginger and chopped green onion feathers.
• Close the lid and select the Bean or Rice mode for 10 minutes.
• Served with chopped cilantro.

Lentils are a real champion among cereals in terms of protein and folic acid content! This dish is very popular among vegetarians because of its nutritional properties nothing beats the meat. For meat-eaters who observe fasts, it is also indispensable. Lentil dishes are easy to prepare, and they turn out to be very tasty, satisfying and healthy.

Just 100 years ago in Russia, lentils were not only found everywhere on the tables of both the rich and the poor, but were also exported to many countries of the world. However, not everyone knew how to boil lentils to make a delicious dish.

The oldest agricultural crop of the legume family has been known since the Neolithic, appeared in Russia in the 14th century and was the basis for many dishes. Now they forgot about the queen of legumes, but in vain!

The nutritional value of lentils is enormous, it contains more than sixty percent of vegetable protein and wide range minerals and trace elements. Not without reason, among the monks in Russia, it was the main source of nutrition during fasting; many dishes can be prepared from it: soups, pastries, side dishes.

From a medical point of view, the queen of beans is simply a storehouse of health. It strengthens the immune system and improves metabolism. Regular use will not only improve the body, but also cure many ailments.

1. It normalizes blood sugar levels, which means it is useful for diabetics.
2. It is rich in B vitamins, which act as an antioxidant and protect the body from the effects of toxins, alcohol and nicotine poisoning.
3. With gastritis and ulcers, pain subsides, heartburn disappears.
4. Prevention of oncology - prevents the formation of cancer cells.
5. Useful for nervous disorders kind of a depressant.

The list is endless. Moreover, lentils also have cosmetic properties, are indispensable for diets, and are also very useful for women's health during pregnancy, when solving gynecological problems.

So colorful!

Several varieties of lentils are known.

1. Brown. The most common type, rich in iron, prevents anemia. Soups are mainly prepared from it. Has a nutty flavor, good in combination with meat.
2. Red, or Egyptian. Practically devoid of a shell, so it instantly boils soft. It is recommended to cook mashed potatoes, pastes, soups from it.
3. Puy, or green. Rich in fiber, the variety was bred in the French city of Puy. It has a delicate aroma and smell of pepper. It is not subject to boiling and is recommended for adding to salads.
4. Yellow. Polished green lentils. Used for puree different dishes.
5. Black, or Beluga. It has a small size, looks like black caviar. It contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, which means it helps with colds. Often used for salads, useful in sprouted form. After cooking, it retains its shape, due to the unusual color it gives piquancy and originality to dishes.

Place the prepared cereal in boiling water and cook over low heat, not forgetting to stir. Salt or add tomatoes should be at the end 5-10 minutes before readiness, as a salty or acidified environment doubles the cooking time.

During the cooking process, it is advisable to add spices and a little oil, olive oil is best. This will make the beans tender and softer, as well as more fragrant.

How long will it take

Each variety has different time cooking. Of course, you can constantly try for softness and taste, but it is better to remember or write down how much to cook lentils until cooked, depending on the color.

Red and yellow are cooked very quickly, an average of 15 minutes. Brown and black will be ready in 25 minutes. And cooking green takes from 45 minutes to an hour.

You can cook not only on the stove, so it is important to know how much lentils are cooked depending on the cooking method:

• multicooker - 50 min.;
• microwave oven - 7-12 minutes;
• steamer - 1 hour.

How much water do you need

For side dishes for one part of the cereal, you need to take two parts of water. Try to maintain a strict 1:2 ratio to avoid undercooked or overcooked lentils.

If you use a microwave oven or a double boiler, then it is enough that the water is 1-2 cm above the level of the grain.

It has long and firmly entered our lives, it allows you to quickly prepare dishes in automatic mode. However, not every housewife knows how to cook lentils.

Use the "Extinguishing", "Porridge" modes. If the dish consists of several ingredients, then the legumes should be laid last.

Lentils with mushrooms are prepared as follows.

1. We turn on the “Frying” mode, pour sunflower oil into the container, add finely chopped onion and a couple of cloves of garlic, bring to a transparent state.
2. A dozen randomly chopped champignons or other mushrooms are fried together with onions for several minutes. Salt, seasonings and spices to taste.
3. Add one glass of prepared lentils to the mushrooms and pour two glasses of boiling water.
4. We switch to the "Extinguishing" mode, set the time to 50 minutes.
5. After the readiness signal, it is advisable to leave it on automatic heating for another 20 minutes.

Thus, you can cook lentils with meat, chicken, vegetables. Be sure to use spices, they brighter reveal the taste and aroma.

Features of cooking in the microwave

Many housewives do not know that in a microwave oven you can not only defrost food or heat food, but also cook.

Pour red or yellow lentils into a special dish, salt, add spices and pour over hot water so that it covers the beans by 1.5-2 cm. Place in the microwave, no need to close the lid. Set the maximum mode and cook for 7-10 minutes. Lentils are crumbly, the grains are whole and elastic.

Cooking in a steamer

When cooking in a steamer useful vitamins and minerals are preserved, dishes are guaranteed not to burn, and cereals are crumbly. The peculiarity of the preparation lies in the smaller amount of water than with the usual way cooking in a saucepan.

Put one and a half cups of any lentils in a container, pour in a glass of water, put butter, spices and salt to taste. Set the time to 1 hour. After cooking, taste it, you can add a few more minutes to achieve the necessary softness.

How to cook lentils so that it is healthy and tasty? There are many recipes, add imagination, do not be afraid to experiment, and you can please your loved ones with unusual dishes.

Porridge

It is equally good as an independent dish, and as a side dish for meat or fish.

1. Pour well-washed yellow or red grains into boiling water in a ratio of one to two.
2. Cook until done. For 5-7 minutes, do not forget to salt and add spices and seasonings.
3. Drain excess water and leave to simmer covered.
4. Fry onions and carrots in vegetable oil until golden brown.
5. Mix the roast with lentils, add butter to taste.

Before serving, sprinkle the porridge with finely chopped herbs.

Puree

Throw the lentils into boiling water in a ratio of 1:2. Cook for about 15 minutes with the addition of a tablespoon of vegetable oil, so the beans will be softer and more tender. At the end, add salt and spices. To make the puree smooth, beat or pass through a sieve.

Serve puree with fresh vegetables and herbs. A mint leaf in a plate will add a special taste.

Soup

How to cook brown lentils? What to cook? Try Lentil Soup, a hearty dish rich in protein and micronutrients. In the cold season, it saturates, warms, gives piquancy and a touch of exotic.

This is the classic soup recipe.

1. Boil one cup of lentils in two cups of water for 20 minutes.
2. Finely chop the carrots and onions and fry in vegetable oil.
3. Combine vegetables with lentils, add a pinch of turmeric, cumin, red and black pepper. Salt.
4. Simmer over low heat until the lentils are soft.
5. Use a blender to smooth and smooth.
6. Add six cups of strong beef or vegetable broth.
7. Refuel butter, sprinkle with chopped herbs and ground paprika.

Exotic green and black lentils

Black lentils are also called Beluga. grains shiny, rich color, are very similar to black caviar, hence the nickname. This is a rather expensive product, as it is characterized by labor-intensive harvesting.

Sprouted black lentils are very useful, they are added to salads. When boiled, it has a whole shape and a pleasant delicate taste. Beluga looks exotic on sandwiches. In Europe, they prepare delicious soups, gourmet sauces, and in Asian countries they are mixed with rice or added to vegetable stews.

Green lentils were bred in France, in the small town of Puy, which is why they are sometimes called French or by the name of the city. It has a subtle, spicy swing and unusual flavors. Many gourmets consider this variety to be the most delicious variety in existence. Perfectly retains its shape during cooking and is recommended for preparing gourmet dishes. It is best to add it to salads.

The Puy variety is not always available, so its counterpart is slightly unripe lentils. It is brown-green in color and does not boil soft. It is easy to distinguish it from Puy, French lentils have a marble pattern on the grains.

1. Lentil grains should be uniform in shape and color. If there are small holes on its surface, it means that insects have liked it and are no longer suitable for food.
2. Do not mix beans purchased at different times, even if they are the same variety. Older lentils will take longer to cook.
3. For vegetable soup lentils are thrown first and cooked until half cooked, and then the rest of the products are added.
4. If you are making lentil soup based on meat broth, then first boil the meat, and then lay the beans.
5. To make the porridge crumbly, boil it, drain off excess water and leave to swell under the lid.
6. Bay leaves, sage, rosemary, cloves are perfectly combined with lentils, and from vegetables - onions, carrots, tomatoes, garlic.
7. Spices are best added early, the taste will be more pronounced.
8. Cooked lentils can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
9. To avoid flatulence, add cloves.

Summing up

Now you know how useful and nutritious lentils are. Do not neglect it, and your diet will be replenished with delicious dishes.

Lentils are a dietary product, have a low calorie content and are indispensable for slim figure. From it you can cook not only soups and cereals, but also bread, salads, pastries, meatballs and even sweets.

This is amazing plant is not able to accumulate toxins and does not lose its healing properties even after heat treatment. No wonder lentils are called the queen of beans.

Eat it with pleasure and be healthy!

Lentils are soft beans that are sold dried. It can be consumed in the form of cereals, soups, side dishes, stews, meatballs. But to achieve the unforgettable taste of these beans, you need to know how to cook lentils. Modern recipes will allow you to achieve a delicious culinary masterpiece when using a slow cooker or traditional way on the stove.

How long to cook lentils until tender

Before cooking lentils, it must be sorted out, separating garbage, pieces of earth, and husks. For convenience, lay the beans on a white paper towel or plate. Place the prepared lentils in a sieve and rinse under cold running water for a minute. Having decided to cook porridge from these beans for the first time, many housewives have a question: is it necessary to soak lentils before cooking? In order for the grains to retain their shape and not become very soft during cooking, they do not need to be soaked first.

Depending on the dish you are going to cook, the cooking time for lentils can be from 10 to 45 minutes. If you purchased split beans, then after 10-20 minutes you will have a mushy mass. Such lentils boil quickly, so they are ideal for mashed soups. You can increase the boil for whole beans to 45 minutes by leaving the lentils to simmer, covered, until completely softened.

Features of cooking red, black, green and yellow lentils

There are about 11 varieties of lentils that differ in their color, grain shape, taste, and even cooking method. The popularity of this product is growing every year, so it is important to know how lentils are useful and how to cook them. The usefulness lies in, iron, B vitamins, folic acid, potassium, carbohydrates, as a result of which lentils have become an integral part of the diet of all people. Regular consumption of dishes from these beans is beneficial for:

• diseases gastrointestinal tract;
• normalization of the urinary system.

First you need to decide for which dish you are buying these beans and what you are going to cook. If you plan to cook porridge, then you need to purchase French green or brown, black lentils. Beans of this color tend to retain the shape of the grains without turning into a puree mass. For soups and stews, red, yellow, orange lentils should be used, as in the process of cooking they quickly and strongly soften, turning into porridge.

How to cook lentils in a slow cooker

In order not to take a lot of personal time, we recommend using a slow cooker. This unique multifunctional device will allow you to get the finished dish without additional difficulties. You need to prepare the right ingredients and place them in the multicooker bowl. For cooking you will need the following ingredients:

• washed green lentils - 1 multi-cup;
• water - 1 multi-glass;
• grain mustard - 1 tbsp. l.;
• sweet pepper - 1 pc.;
• freshly ground chili pepper - 1 tbsp. l.;
• finely chopped one celery root;
• canned corn- 200 g;
• tomato sauce- 4 tbsp. l.

The cooking process includes several stages:

1. Carefully place the indicated ingredients in the multicooker bowl and mix with a plastic spatula.
2. Modern multicookers are equipped with many functions, among which is the "Multipovar" mode. Select this function, close the top cover of the device and you have one hour of free time while the technician prepares a gorgeous lentil dish for you.

What dishes are prepared from lentils

There are a large number of options for preparing lentil dishes. These beans can be used on their own as hearty cereals or in complex culinary creations. To diversify breakfasts or surprise the family for dinner, prepare dishes based on lentils. You can, cutlets, a side dish for meat, and there are also recipes that detail how to combine lentils with other types of cereals, vegetables.

Recommendation: To enhance the taste of cooked lentils, add a couple of bay leaves or a pinch of dried sage. You can also use celery root or leaves, parsley or rosemary. Lentil dishes are recommended to be salted and peppered at the very end of cooking.

How to make puree soup

Puree soup is a thick soup that needs to be cooked with a large number vegetables or cereals. To get the most healthy, tasty and satisfying dish, we recommend preparing lentil puree soup. The correctness of preparation depends on the accuracy of compliance with all proportions. necessary ingredients. For this soup you will need:

• red lentil beans - 200 gr;
• chicken broth - 2 cups;
• finely chopped red onion (medium) - 1 pc.;
• a spoonful of tomato paste;
• grated carrots - 1 pc.;
• a pinch of cumin and pepper;
• salt - 0.5 tsp;
• clove of garlic;
• a slice of lemon and mint leaves;
• submersible blender;
• pot.

Puree soup is prepared according to the following technology:

1. Combine the lentils, broth, onion, carrot, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables and beans are completely tender. This will take approximately 25 minutes.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly soften the soup ingredients with an immersion blender. You should get a puree-like mass. When mixing, be careful not to splatter the hot soup, use low speed.
4. Then you need to add salt and squeeze a slice of lemon. You can garnish with mint leaves on top if you like.

Lentils with chicken meat

For a family dinner for two you will need:

• 300 grams of chicken breast;
• a glass of brown lentils;
• three glasses of water;
• a tablespoon of tomato paste;
• salt, pepper, cumin, curry;
• big bulb.

We'll tell you step by step, with chicken meat.

1. Prepare chicken breast, having previously dressed the sirloin meat from the bones and skin.
2. Cut the meat into large pieces and fry with chopped onion and tomato paste. The chicken breast takes about 10 minutes to cook.
3. Then boil the lentils for 15 minutes.
4. Combine all ingredients in a heat-resistant bowl and place in the oven to bake for another 10 minutes.
5. Add a teaspoon of curry to the dish to get a beautiful color and rich taste.

How to cook delicious lentils with vegetables

Lentils go well with all vegetables. You can cook it with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, onions. But in order to do this, you need to prepare the following components for this:

• two large potatoes;
• ginger root;
• clove of garlic;
• one carrot;
• curry - 1 tbsp;
• one glass of red lentils;
• three glasses of water;
• broth - 1 glass;
• vegetable oil;
• deep frying pan.

1. First you need to boil the lentils for 10-15 minutes until half cooked.
2. Then put chopped garlic, ginger and curry into a preheated pan.
3. After a couple of minutes, add the carrots and potatoes, which were previously diced. It takes about 5 minutes to cook.
4. Then put the lentils in the pan and fill everything with broth.
5. After five minutes, you can serve to the table, garnishing with a slice of lime on top.

How to make lentil porridge

Lentil cereals are distinguished by the presence of a large amount of vitamins. To properly cook such porridge, you need to strictly adhere to the proportions. You need to cook in a ratio of 1: 3, that is, pour three glasses into a saucepan per glass of beans cold water. Also, don't use split beans for cereals, because they quickly turn into a puree. Fill the lentils with water, cook for an average of 15 minutes. Cooking time may increase if you use black or brown lentils for porridge, which must be cooked for at least 25 minutes.

Dishes from lentils for weight loss

The peculiarity of these beans is that they do not contain fat in their composition. The calorie content of cooked lentils reaches only 111 kcal. Therefore, you can use the lentil diet to normalize weight. Daily consumption of cereals will contribute to rapid weight loss. The recipe is simple, so you can easily and quickly prepare it for breakfast. You will need:

• red lentils - 100 g;
• water - 3 glasses;
• chopped half of the onion;
• carrots, grated - 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.;

Pour thoroughly washed beans cold water and set to cook for 15 minutes. From vegetables, make dressing for porridge in a pan, frying carrots and onions until golden brown. Combine all prepared ingredients and mix. For dietary porridge, do not use seasonings and salt. With this breakfast, you will be full all day and the diet will not cause difficulties in following it.

Lentil cutlets: the best recipe with a photo

Traditional meat cutlets you can substitute lentils. The recipe is simple, so to repeat it you will need to cook everything for no more than 30 minutes. First you need to decide on the ingredients and kitchen appliances that you need to prepare in advance. To make everything go quickly and accurately, stick to the following list:

• red or green lentils - half a cup.
• coarse salt - a pinch.
• two big eggs.
• one cup of breadcrumbs.
• parsley - 2 sprigs.
• olive oil - 2 tbsp.
• red onion - 1 head.
• one large carrot.
• cumin - ½ tsp
• coriander - ½ tsp
• garlic - 3 cloves.
• large frying pan.
• spatula for turning cutlets.
• a bowl.
• blender.

Cooking lentil cutlets consists of the following steps:

1. Pour 3 cups of water over the lentil beans and bring to a boil. The whole cooking process will take about 20 minutes. Then drain the water and let cool completely in a separate bowl.

1. Place the remaining beans 1/2 teaspoon salt, diced red onion, eggs, breadcrumbs, coriander, cumin, coarsely grated carrots, and parsley in a blender. Mix everything until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

1. Then heat a large frying pan, after pouring oil into it. Shape into small round lentil patties by rolling lightly in breadcrumbs. Place carefully in the pan and fry on one side until crispy and Brown. Approximately 4 minutes to cook. Then you need to turn the cutlets on reverse side and repeat the frying process.

1. Remove the cooked lentil cutlets from the pan into a separate container. When they have cooled, put on a large dish, pre-garnished with lettuce. Top cutlets can pour sour cream or mayonnaise, sprinkle with chopped red onion and parsley.

Video recipe: The most delicious lentil side dish

Lentil beans are ideal for cooking various dishes, as well as side dishes for meat, fish. To do this, you will need twenty minutes of free time and ingredients that are easy to find in your kitchen. If you don’t know, we recommend watching a video where the chef tells in detail the amazing recipe for making a side dish. Also provided are the exact proportions of the required ingredients for this dish so that you can repeat it at home.